Crowbar leads to man’s arrest

Crowbar leads to man’s arrest

A Glenville store clerk’s struggle with a robber, during which he wrestled away the attacker’s crowbar, helped investigators break the case, a prosecutor said Monday.

Vincent Jendrzejczak used the crowbar to hit the clerk in the head, and in the ensuing struggle his own DNA got onto it, helping lead to his arrest, prosecutor William Sanderson said.

Jendrzejczak, 30, of Delmar, was indicted last week on two counts each of first-degree robbery, second-degree burglary and first-degree assault, along with grand larceny counts.

He is accused of lying in wait and ambushing a clerk at the Sunoco station at 2901 Amsterdam Road in Glenville on July 8 and making off with cash and a computer, Sanderson said.

Jendrzejczak is accused of hitting the clerk in the head with the crowbar to rob him. The clerk still suffers from headaches and memory loss, Sanderson said. He also suffered a broken nose and cuts to his knees, police have said.

In the ensuing struggle, the clerk got control of the crowbar and even hit the suspect a couple of times, leaving what authorities believe were marks on his chest, Sanderson said.

The suspect then fled with the cash and laptop, but left the crowbar behind. Tests on the crowbar resulted in a DNA match with Jendrzejczak, leading to his November arrest, Sanderson said.

State records show Jendrzejczak served four years in state prison on a prior burglary conviction out of Westchester County, and was released in December 2009.

Also indicted were:

* Matthew Bellrose, 24, of Strong Street, on one count each of third-degree arson, second-degree assault and third-degree assault.

He is accused of intentionally damaging an 873 Strong St. house Nov. 7. The vacant house was heavily damaged by fire, officials have said.

He is accused of possessing stolen property Dec. 20 at Albany and Schenectady streets, officials said.

* Andre Clark, 35, of McClellan Street, on two counts of third-degree criminal possession and sale of a controlled substance, felonies.

He is accused of possessing and selling cocaine on Moyston Street on Nov. 17 and 30, officials said.

* Samuel Gaston, 39, of Van Velsen Street, on one count of third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, fifth-degree criminal possession of marijuana, and second-degree criminal use of drug paraphernalia.